


Vanilla, Jasmine and Petrichor

by CelestialVoid



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - No Hale Fire (Teen Wolf), Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Boys Kissing, Childhood Friends, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Gentle Kissing, Kissing, M/M, One Shot, Scents & Smells, Short One Shot, Soulmates, The Hale Family (Teen Wolf) Lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-21
Updated: 2020-08-21
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:15:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26024827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CelestialVoid/pseuds/CelestialVoid
Summary: Stiles and Derek have been friends for years, but Derek’s noticed that Stiles smells really nice lately.
Relationships: Derek Hale & Laura Hale, Derek Hale & Stiles Stilinski, Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski
Comments: 25
Kudos: 515





	Vanilla, Jasmine and Petrichor

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kirjastorotta](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kirjastorotta/gifts).



> (AU where your soul mate smells like your favourite scent)

Stiles sat upside down on the couch, his lanky legs hanging over the back of the sofa and his head nearly touching the floor. A bowl of popcorn was balanced on his stomach, but his eyes were focused on the TV screen. Every now and then, he’d reach into the bowl, grabbing a few pieces of popcorn and tossing them into his mouth.

Derek sat beside him, sitting on the floor in front of the couch and leaning back against the cushions.

That’s how they spent their Sundays, it’s how they’d always spend their Sundays since they were kids.

Sheriff Stilinski almost always got on to work on Sundays and Talia had offered to have Stiles come over and spend time with the kids so that he wasn’t alone. Talia told him the door was always open—if the Sheriff was working after school, Stiles could come over and study with Derek and Laura; if John was working nightshifts, Stiles would have dinner with the Hales and his dad would pick him up later, and on the nights he was rostered the full shift, Stiles would sleep over.

As the boys grew up, they became close friends. Aside from Laura, Stiles was Derek’s only friend, and he liked it that way.

Derek leant further back against the couch, reaching up for a handful of popcorn.

He froze.

A sweet scent reached his nose; a mix of vanilla, jasmine and petrichor. The smell filled his lungs, filling him with an overwhelming calmness.

Stiles shifted on the couch, moving the bowl over to Derek’s outstretched hand.

Derek shook himself from his thoughts, reaching into the bowl and taking a handful of popcorn.

“Thanks,” he said quietly.

“You okay?” Stiles asked, a glint of worry in his dark eyes.

“I’m fine,” Derek replied, turning back to the movie and eating the popcorn.

Stiles watched him for a moment longer before setting the popcorn back on his stomach and turning his attention back to the movie.

Derek drew in a measured breath, the smell filling his lungs and igniting his senses again as he sat back against the cushions of the couch. He glanced at Stiles in his peripheral vision. He turned to look at Stiles again, studying him with a confused look.

Stiles caught him staring, turning to look at him. “What?”

“Are you using a new soap of something?” Derek asked.

“No,” Stiles replied, uncertainty adding an upward infliction on his voice that made it sound more like a question than an answer. “Why? Do I smell bad?”

“No,” Derek answered, scared he may have offended Stiles. “It’s not that, it’s… Never mind.”

He turned his attention back to the TV.

Stiles’ brow furrowed in confusion for a moment, but he let the conversation slip away. He grabbed another handful of popcorn and turned back to the movie.

They settled into silence, the tension still hanging in the air as the conversation slipped away.

After the movie, Stiles glanced at the time. He let out a dejected sigh.

“It’s getting late, I should head home,” he said quietly. “I’ll see you tomorrow, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Derek replied, offering Stiles a kind smile.

Stiles smiled back.

“Bye,” he shouted upstairs where Laura and Cora were in their rooms.

“Bye,” Cora replied without coming out of her room.

Laura opened her bedroom door, shooting a disapproving look at her sister’s closed bedroom door before leaning over the banister. “You got everything?”

“Yep,” Stiles replied.

“Okay, drive safe,” Laura farewelled. “And let us know when you get home.”

“Will do,” Stiles promised as Derek walked him to the door.

The crisp autumn breeze rolled past, bringing with it the sweet smell of the pine trees and evergreens that surrounded the Hale house. The air was cool and refreshing, but it still held onto summer’s warmth.

“See you tomorrow,” Stiles said as he stepped off the porch and onto the blanket of fallen golden leaves that covered the front yard.

“See you tomorrow,” Derek repeated back to him.

He lingered on the front porch, saying goodbye and watching as Stiles got in his old blue Jeep and drove off.

Derek made his way inside just as Laura came downstairs.

“What?” Laura asked, craning her neck as she looked at Derek’s expression.

“Did Stiles seem… different to you today?” Derek asked.

“No,” Laura relied, slightly confused. She stepped down into the lobby, meeting her brother’s gaze. “What do you mean ‘different’?”

“He… Never mind,” Derek dismissed, making his way into the kitchen.

“Der,” Laura said softly. “If you can’t tell me, who can you tell?”

She had a point.

Derek let out a measured breath.

“Did he smell different to you?” Derek asked.

“No,” Laura replied. “He smelled the same as usual. Then again, I don’t make a habit of smelling people.”

She slid onto the stool by the bar.

“Why? What did he smell like?” Laura asked, leaning forward on the bench.

“Like vanilla, jasmine and the smell of earth after it rains,” Derek said, trying to hide the way his voice softened.

Laura straightened in her seat, her eyes widening for a moment. “Wait…”

“What?”

“Do you…. Do you like Stiles?”

“Of course I like Stiles, he’s my friend.”

“No, Derek,” Laura said softly. “Do you _like_ Stiles?”

“What are you talking about?” Derek asked, confused.

“Do you remember what mum told us about soul mates?” she asked. She didn’t wait for him to answer before continuing, “When you meet your soul mate they smell like the things you love the most; your favourite scent.”

Derek thought it over, a wave of realisation washing over him. He felt his face burn bright red.

“But I’ve known Stiles almost my whole life,” Derek said. “Why now?”

Laura shrugged.

“Maybe you’ve come of age,” she suggested. “Maybe you’re starting to see him differently. Maybe you’re just realising now that there’s a spark between the two of you.”

“What do I do?” Derek asked.

“Tell him,” Laura replied.

“You can’t tell mum or dad about this,” Derek said, looking at his sister pleadingly.

Laura looked as if she were about to ask why, but instead her expression softened and she said, “My lips are sealed.”

Derek dropped his gaze to the floor. He felt his chest tighten as a spike of anxiety pierced his heart.

Laura was right; he had to tell Stiles.

Derek spent the night tossing and turning, trying to think of what to say to Stiles.

He was silent as Laura drove them to school the next day and couldn’t focus in first period, he spent most of the class hastily writing down notes before staring into oblivion, his mind filled with thoughts.

Finally the bell rang and the class was dismissed.

Derek rose from his seat and made his way to his locker.

Students streamed into the hallway. The school was abuzz with chatter; students gathered in the halls, talking amongst themselves as they moved between classes.

Derek looked around the halls, his eyes searching the sea of faces, looking for one.

He felt his stomach twist into nauseating knots. When the second bell rang, he jumped, his heart hammering against his ribs.

The crowds in the halls thinned out.

Derek made his way down the hallway towards the blue doors that led outside. He followed the concrete path to the library. He stepped into the building, looking around at the tables, but Stiles wasn’t there. He checked the mezzanine and the rows of shelves but Stiles was nowhere to be seen.

His heart sank into his stomach. He swallowed hard and left the library, making his way along the outside of the school.

He made his across the school grounds, trying to think of where Stiles could be.

He followed the path around the side of the school to the grassy oval. A few people sat in small groups at the old wooden benches, but there was one lone figure sitting on his own.

Derek’s heart leapt as his eyes fell upon Stiles, the sunlight lighting his dark hair and streaking it with gold. His eyes were focused on the textbooks and notebooks that were scattered across the table in front of him.

Derek drew in a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves.

 _I have to tell him_.

He made his way over to the bench.

“Is this seat taken?” he asked.

Stiles looked up at him, flashing a friendly smile. “It is now.”

Derek smiled in return, sliding into the seat. He set his books down in front of him but he didn’t open them.

He looked up at Stiles, his heart hammering against his ribs.

 _I have to tell him_.

He swallowed hard against the lump in his throat.

“Stiles,” he started slowly.

“Hmm?”

“I need to talk about you about something.”

Stiles set his homework aside, giving Derek his full attention.

Derek drew in a deep breath and forced the words out. “I think we’re mates.”

Stiles’ face relaxed a little. “Yeah, I know.”

“You know?”

Stiles nodded.

“How long have you known?” Derek asked.

“About a month now.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I was scared,” he admitted. “I didn’t want to say anything because I didn’t think you felt the same way about me and I didn’t want to throw away what we had.”

Derek felt his heart flutter, a soft smile turning up the corners of his lips. He relaxed a little bit.

“What do I smell like to you?” Derek asked, curious.

“Pine trees, roasted marshmallows, leather and…” Stiles’ voice trailed away.

“And what?”

A sweet smile played across his lips as he said, “Apple pie.”

“Apple pie?” Derek repeated.

“Freshly baked homemade apple pie,” Stiles clarified. “Like my mum used to make.”

Derek let out a quiet chuckle.

“Shut up,” Stiles objected, reaching across the table to gently smack Derek’s arm. “Alright then, what do I smell like to you?”

“Vanilla, jasmine, and the smell of the earth after it rains,” Derek told him.

“You sweet romantic,” Stiles teased.

Derek let out another breathless chuckle.

They fell silent for a moment.

“So,” Stiles started slowly.

“So,” Derek echoed.

“What does this mean for us?” Stiles asked.

“I don’t know,” Derek said. “It’s not exactly like I’ve had experience with this before.”

Stiles shifted nervously.

“I really like you, Derek,” he said forwardly. “If you want to just be friends for the time being, then I’m okay with that. But if you want to give this a go, then I’m in. I mean, it’s not like we have to consummate the bond or anything; we can just take our time.”

“You’re right,” Derek said quietly. “I don’t want to rush into this.”

Stiles nodded, understandingly. He dropped his head slightly, trying to hide the disappointment in his face.

“But I also really want to kiss you,” Derek added.

Stiles looked up at him with a stunned expression.

A small smile played with the corners of his lips. He rose from his seat and leant across the table, gently cupping Stiles’ face in his hand as he brought their lips together in a sweet, tender and slightly hesitant kiss.

Stiles melted into the kiss, lifting a hand to the back of Derek’s neck as he leant into the kiss.

It was like something ignited in his soul, like he had found something that had been missing for so long; like puzzle pieces fitting together—it felt _right_.

Derek drew back slowly, his lips lingering near Stiles’.

“Yeah,” Derek whispered. “There’s no way we can be just friends now.”

Stiles let out a quiet chuckle, craning his neck and bringing their lips back together again.

Derek tilted his head slightly, deepening the kiss. He drew in a breath, inhaling the sweet smell of vanilla, jasmine and petrichor and letting it flood his senses.

He drew back slowly, smiling as he met Stiles’ gaze.

A few of the kids at the other tables began to holler and clap.

Derek’s face turned bright red as he sat back down in his seat, opening up his text books and trying to hide his blushing face.

Stiles let out a quiet laugh.

Derek glanced up.

Stiles smiled sweetly at him, the sunlight lighting his dark citrine eyes and turning them to gold. He slid his foot over to Derek’s side, gently nudging Derek’s foot under the table.

Derek smiled back, his racing heartbeat slowing as he met Stiles’ gaze.

**Author's Note:**

> celestialvoid-fanfiction.tumblr.com


End file.
